If your favorite part of the day is taking a long hot shower, you might want to listen closely. Although stepping under a warm waterfall feels good in the moment, a new report published by The New York Times suggests that it could provoke troublesome skin and hair issues. What happens when you take a steamy, hot shower, you ask? According to dermatologist Trinidad Montero-Vílchez, PhD, scorching hot temperatures threaten the skin barrier, making it more susceptible to dryness and irritation.
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Speaking with the NYT, Montero-Vílchez explained that hot water causes our skin’s lipids (made up of ceramides and fatty acids) to “lose their organized structure.” When this barrier weakens, our skin is more susceptible to allergens and irritants, and subsequently, it can’t hold water or moisture in. These were the results of a study she conducted back in 2022.
In the study, which was published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, Montero-Vílchez and her co-authors found that hot water is much harsher on skin than cold water. Those who washed with hot water experienced a weakened skin barrier, higher pH level, and reddening. Their skin also significantly dried out due to a lack of moisture and water retention.
Likewise with hair, standing under hot water can draw out sebum, the oily substance that’s responsible for “keeping our hair moisturized and protected,” dermatologist Elika Hoss, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, told the NYT.
For both your hair and skin, lukewarm showers are your best bet on the day-to-day.
The ideal water temperature for your shower should be between 98 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit, Best Life previously reported. On top of potentially damaging hair and skin, temperatures outside of this range could potentially put you at risk for low blood pressure, lightheadedness, heart rate issues, and even hypothermia.
"The ideal water temperature for a shower is between 98 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit," Peter Bailey, MD, a family practice physician and medical expert for Test Prep Insight, previously told Best Life. "This is the optimal temperature range for maintaining comfort and body temperature, while washing away sweat, dirt, bacteria, and other particulates."
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Additionally, you want to aim for shorter showers.
“For patients with atopic dermatitis and/or very dry skin, I recommend keeping showers to five minutes or less,” Lauren Ploch, MD, a board-certified dermatologist with the American Academy of Dermatology, told TODAY.com. “Keep showers active. Don’t stand under water for minutes at a time.” In other words, your shower shouldn’t last longer than three songs—so pick your shower playlist wisely!
That said, a warmer shower does have some advantages. According to Amerisleep, it can improve blood circulation, help muscles relax, ease the mind, reduce stress levels, and promote better sleep quality.
“There are benefits to warmer showers or baths, so I don’t want to discount that,” associate dermatology professor Victoria Barbosa, MD, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Chicago, told the NYT. But remember, she added, “none of those benefits are for your skin.”
Instead, opt for lukewarm temperatures and think of hot showers as “a treat, not a daily occurrence,” she said.
To help lock in moisture, experts also suggest patting yourself dry (versus rubbing all over with a towel) and applying a generous amount of lotion within minutes of toweling off.
For those with dry skin, or if hot showers are your kryptonite, Ploch recommended using “ceramide-containing moisturizers or alpha-hydroxy acid moisturizers.”
